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E51 E51 Aircon Pipe Corrosion (Rear)

Sod's Law applied today.
The hottest day of forever and my aircon is kaput!
The bloke at the aircon specialist put some dye in last week and I took it back today to see if there was a fixable leak.
No chance! The leak is from the condenser so I now need a condenser and receiver drier.
Anyone got a spare one? (He asks - more in hope than expectation.)
Where do I begin to look for one at a sensible price and with reasonable assurance that it will be OK?

This looks like it's the right one:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-E...172710?hash=item5b58b35926:g:ZBAAAOSwlm5dII6M
If yours is the series 1 that looks a bargain if it's in working condition. There is one ad from beforward many times that price from Japan.
 
Steve at Tojo has one so I'm getting one from him as I can be sure that it will be as OK as he can ascertain.
Thank's for the suggestions.
Hottest day of the year and no aircon.... grrrrr!
I have heart failure so feel the heat more than most so aircon can literally be a life-saver for me.
 
i have e50 ac does not work it needs regassing how much gas does it take
 
I forgot to update this...
Aircon now working.
I asked the mechanic to clean the inside of the intelligent cruise cover and the sensor while he had the front off.
The cruise is now working well again.
 
Hello, does anyone know if this a specific generation issue? Or are all phases susceptible?
 
I reckon that simply painting/undersealing the pipes at the rear should prevent the problem if it isn't too late.

The usual bits of pipe to corrode are only short but thinner than the other lengths of pipe, they're not protected by heat insulation like rest of pipe, they're in an area that will get spray from the nearside rear wheel and probably condensation from the rear evap, they're close to the steel underside of the car (electrolysis effect will corrode), there's a bit of foam (that will hold water) where the pipes run through the access panel.
 
Makes you wonder how they ever worked at all........
 
Hello, does anyone know if this a specific generation issue? Or are all phases susceptible?
I think the biggest risk factor is probably if the cover is damaged or missing. The hinge rusts and it falls off, letting all the road spray into the area. I looked at mine yesterday when it was up on ramps for the MOT and my pipes were perfectly clean and shiny so happy! If it looks horrible and dirty in there then that's when you want to start worrying more.
 
I think they can corrode from inside if the rear AC doesn't get used.
 
I think they can corrode from inside if the rear AC doesn't get used.
Agreed I think that's true. I do try to remember to turn the back on sometimes on mine.

I have also heard that you probably should get your Aircon regassed every couple of years as they add some lubricant and it gets rid of any moisture build up. Have to admit had mine 2 years and haven't had it regassed as it still works perfectly, but should do at some point!
 
AC pipes don't corrode from the inside. The gas flowing through them isn't corrosive to the pipe material, there is oil flowing through them with the gas (which would offer some protection anyway), the systems have a unit which gets rid of any moisture (hygroscopic) because the potential for ice in the AC system could otherwise cause problems even damage the AC pump, so there's very little damp inside AC pipes. I have cut Elgrand rotted AC pipes open... they look brand new inside but are pitted and worn on the outside.

I think they'd usually fare better without the metal flap in place because the hole in the flap which pipes go through has insulation/sealing material around it which holds damp and touches the aluminium pipes. If two dissimilar metals are in electrical contact and water is added, one of the metals will serve as a sacrificial anode which means it will in effect be rotted away while the other metal is coated with stuff from the sacrificed metal. Some steel boats use aluminium as sacrificial anode.

Usually on vehicles the first part of an AC system to go wrong is the condenser, it's right at the front of the car and prone to damage from stones etc. The rotting rear pipes issue on Elgrands seems it was always going to happen given the design. The same issue happens on other vehicles where again we should expect it to happen - where aluminium AC pipes are in close proximity to steel of the car and it is often damp, like on Pug 306 where the AC pipe was mounted to the steel body of the car in a rubber bush low down at the front of the car and the bush retains damp and is often splashed.
 
Well thank goodness for Owatrol then. :)

Maybe it's the seals that suffer with lack of use. I know there is something about use it or loose it.
 
Seals can suffer with lack of use yes.
 
Would you not be able to use rubber high pressure hose and have plate made for the end to fit car cheaper
 
Hi all,
Read through (9 pages!) of threads; it looks like my E51 has fallen foul of this as well. Clearly i need to get the leak attended to, but has anyone got a link to buying the cover so that i can re-instate it, as mine has well and truly rotted (see attached)?
 

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